Question

Read the excerpt from Chapter 3 of Wheels of Change .

But the bicycle craze had a more lasting impact on women’s clothing than just the use of bloomers. Thanks in large part to cycling, the innovation of rational dress reformers were starting to take effect by the end of the 1890s. Corsets were on their way out, dresses were getting shorter, and women no longer wore the heavy, bulky undergarments that gave them round, unnatural shapes. These changes went a long way toward unburdening women and setting the stage for them to be healthier and more active in the coming century.

Based on the excerpt, women in the 1890s became more independent and their lives improved as a result of

a rise in the popularity of bicycles.
a rise in the popularity of corsets.
cycling becoming less socially acceptable.
clothing becoming more restrictive.

Answer 1

a rise in the popularity of bicycles.

The excerpt credits the bicycle craze with promoting dress reform (fewer corsets, shorter dresses, lighter undergarments), which made women healthier and more active.